1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for transporting and imaging a textile material. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a system comprising a motorized conveyor capable of moving a sheet of textile material around the far outer surface of an upper rod such that the portion of the textile material extending around the far outer surface of the upper rod can be imaged by a camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cameras have been used in conjunction with conveyor systems for moving sheets of textile material in order to capture images of the material. In such systems, the portion of the textile material that is imaged is typically a flat portion lying in a horizontal plane on the conveyor system. Such a fabric imaging system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,774,177 to Lane and 5,095,835 to Jernigan, et al. Such systems are typically limited to providing a top view of the textile material being imaged.
Images produced by top view imaging systems are normally composed of structural features of interest such as fuzz and pills against a complicated background of varying brightness and/or darkness. This complicated background often comprises fibers, yarns, bonded points, and other fabric structural features. Top view images provide limited contrast which limits the amount of information which can be ascertained from analyzing the image at a given magnification level.
For certain fabrics, it is often useful and/or desirable to obtain a side view of the fabric. Such views are particularly useful in analyzing fuzz and/or pills in the fabric. The term fuzz as used herein, refers to fibers that are partially or completely teased out of a fabric. Fibers typically have diameters in the range of 5-25 micrometers. Due to their small size, they are difficult to detect in top view images.
The term pill, as used herein, refers to a small accumulation of entangled fibers on the surface of a fabric. Pills, which can develop during wear, are held to the fabric by an entanglement with the surface fibers of the material and are usually composed of the same fibers from which the fabric is made.
The present invention provides a means of rotating a textile fabric around the far side of an upper rod such that fabric structural features such as fuzz and pills extend horizontally outward into an illumination and imaging field where a side view of the fabric can be obtained. The present invention provides a system capable of capturing high quality images of a textile material, suitable for analyzing pills as well as the density, height, and separability of fuzz of the textile material.
Side view images, such as those obtainable from using the present invention, are less complex than top view images. Side view images typically comprise images of dark fuzz and pills against a uniformly bright background. Accordingly, such images provide greater information during analysis at a given magnification level than are provided by top view images. Side view images are particularly advantageous when one desires to perform image analysis of fibers, because of the greater ease in detecting fibers in side view images.
The present invention is directed toward a system for transporting and imaging a textile material comprising a support structure comprising a support area defining a plane, and a motorized conveyor mounted on the support structure. The conveyor comprises a movement axis and is capable of moving a textile material in either direction of the movement axis.
The invention further comprises an upper rod having a far outer surface which faces away from the support structure. The upper rod is positioned substantially perpendicular to the conveyor movement axis. An upper rod mounting arm has a first end connected to the upper rod and a second end connected to the support structure.
The invention further comprises a lower rod having a near outer surface which faces toward the support structure. The lower rod is positioned substantially parallel to and below the upper rod and is positioned closer to the support structure than the upper rod. A lower rod mounting arm has a first end connected to the lower rod and a second end connected to the support structure.
The invention further comprises an illumination source mounted below the upper rod and positioned to illuminate a textile material extending around the far outer surface of the upper rod. A camera is positioned above the illumination source so as to acquire images of a textile material extending around the far outer surface of the upper rod. A camera mounting structure is attached to the camera so as to allow linear movement of the camera perpendicular and parallel to the support area, and to allow rotational movement of the camera in a plane parallel to the support area.
The invention may also comprise a motorized linear rail to move the support structure along a movement axis perpendicular to the conveyor movement axis.
The invention further comprises a computer electronically coupled to the conveyor to selectively control the operation of the conveyor, linear rail and/or camera.